The Seven Sins

19. A Meeting

At the end of the night, over six hundred thousand pounds was raised, forty animals were adopted, and the remaining fifteen will be placed in a shelter. Olson and I were dancing on a slow song. He had pulled me close to him. Leon only a few feet away. Maze following our movements a foot away. I felt safe in his arms, he felt like home. It brought me back to my time with Jake.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you and Jake. He was one of my best friends and I -" He choked on his words.

I pulled back from his chest and cupped his cheek. "You were on the other side of the world. You had other commitments. You came over as much as you could. He never blamed you, neither did I. Olson, you paid for his treatment, for his hospital bills, you removed a huge burden from our shoulders. He was always so worried I would end up in dept because of the bills. It's because of you, he could rest easy."

"It still feels like I didn't do enough." His voice broke. I pulled him in a tight hug. I brought his head down to the crook of my neck.

"Your friendship with him was one of the things he treasured most. You and Hanna took care of me after -" I breathed in deep. "After he died, it was because of you two I didn't... You saved my life, Olson. You're one of my best friends and I love you. You did more for me than you can imagine."

"He loved you so much." He kissed the top of my head. "He asked me to look after you. I'm sorry I've been absent."

"You visit me every month and text me almost every day." I smiled up at him. "We are both adults with our own lives, Olson. It's okay. I'm okay."

His eyes searched mine for a minute. "You look okay, more than okay actually. There is something different about you."

"I met some new friends." I smiled a little. "They've taught me a lot."

"They are good people?"

"Yeah, they are." I nodded. Although I still couldn't read Pride or Greed, I know they wouldn't hurt me.

"In case I haven't told you, you look beautiful tonight."

"You did but thank you." Over Olson's shoulder I saw Leon tap his ring. Telling me he was going to update the princes. I gave him a slight nod but didn't follow him. I knew I was safe here. And an upbeat song came on and Olson started to twirl me in every direction, me laughing as I went.

When I came back from the successful event with Leon, the princes were all waiting for us in Elmir's living room. Leon and I were talking as we walked through the portal, Maze on our heels.

"Well, would you look at that." I said and did a single twirl in front of them. "I'm safe and sound, not a scratch on me."

Sevrin leaped from the couch and pulled me in a hug. He grasped my shoulders and leaned down to catch my eyes, his red curls falling over his brow. "You were supposed to check in every hour."

"We did." I frowned a little. "Leon popped his head in every hour to let you know I was okay."

"How did he do it?" Greed asked, letting his foot, that was resting on his knee, fall to the ground. "Leon can't make a portal to Envy's home."

"That reminds me." I said and turned to Leon. We pulled the rings of our fingers and switched them before slipping our own back on.

"Now that that's resolved." Sevrin turned back to me. "We wanted to see you every hour. I trust Leon but we needed to see it, Ava."

"I was kind of busy. I planned the whole night; I couldn't just step out every time." I huffed.

"Leon said you were dancing."